TY - JOUR
T1 - The skin crawls, the stomach turns
T2 - ectoparasites and pathogens elicit distinct defensive responses in humans
AU - Kupfer, Tom R.
AU - Fessler, Daniel M.T.
AU - Wu, Bozhi
AU - Hwang, Tiffany
AU - Sparks, Adam Maxwell
AU - Alas, Sonia
AU - Samore, Theodore
AU - Lal, Vedika
AU - Sakhamuru, Tanvi P.
AU - Holbrook, Colin
N1 - Copyright:
This record is sourced from MEDLINE/PubMed, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
PY - 2021/7/28
Y1 - 2021/7/28
N2 - Disgust has long been viewed as a primary motivator of defensive responses to threats posed by both microscopic pathogens and macroscopic ectoparasites. Although disgust can defend effectively against pathogens encountered through ingestion or incidental contact, it offers limited protection against ectoparasites, which actively pursue a host and attach to its surface. Humans might, therefore, possess a distinct ectoparasite defence system-including cutaneous sensory mechanisms and grooming behaviours-functionally suited to guard the body's surface. In two US studies and one in China, participants (N = 1079) viewed a range of ectoparasite- and pathogen-relevant video stimuli and reported their feelings, physiological sensations, and behavioural motivations. Participants reported more surface-guarding responses towards ectoparasite stimuli than towards pathogen stimuli, and more ingestion/contamination-reduction responses towards pathogen stimuli than towards ectoparasite stimuli. Like other species, humans appear to possess evolved psychobehavioural ectoparasite defence mechanisms that are distinct from pathogen defence mechanisms.
AB - Disgust has long been viewed as a primary motivator of defensive responses to threats posed by both microscopic pathogens and macroscopic ectoparasites. Although disgust can defend effectively against pathogens encountered through ingestion or incidental contact, it offers limited protection against ectoparasites, which actively pursue a host and attach to its surface. Humans might, therefore, possess a distinct ectoparasite defence system-including cutaneous sensory mechanisms and grooming behaviours-functionally suited to guard the body's surface. In two US studies and one in China, participants (N = 1079) viewed a range of ectoparasite- and pathogen-relevant video stimuli and reported their feelings, physiological sensations, and behavioural motivations. Participants reported more surface-guarding responses towards ectoparasite stimuli than towards pathogen stimuli, and more ingestion/contamination-reduction responses towards pathogen stimuli than towards ectoparasite stimuli. Like other species, humans appear to possess evolved psychobehavioural ectoparasite defence mechanisms that are distinct from pathogen defence mechanisms.
KW - behavioural immune system
KW - disgust
KW - ectoparasites
KW - grooming
KW - pathogens
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U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2021.0376
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2021.0376
M3 - Article
C2 - 34315263
AN - SCOPUS:85112597916
VL - 288
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
SN - 0962-8452
IS - 1955
M1 - 20210376
ER -